Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/new-york-traffic-ticket-prices-going-up-up-and-away,506885.shtml

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According to New York traffic attorney
Matthew Weiss, Esq. (http://www.nytrafficticket.com), the New York State
Department of Motor Vehicles reports that motorists will soon be paying a
hefty 60% increase in surcharges for New York traffic tickets. As of August
1, the surcharge has gone to $80.00, just having gone from $50 to $60.00 on
July 1st. Originally $5.00, this surcharge was instituted by then-Gov. Cuomo
in the 1980s and has quickly grown to often surpass the actual fine amounts.

The surcharge is payable in addition to the actual fine for the NY moving
violation. It is also payable in addition to the $300 (or more) Driver
Assessment Responsibility Fee, which is imposed upon motorists that accumulate
six or more points. The Driver Assessment Fee is payable by all motorists
regardless of their state of license, that have 6 or more points in New York.

According to Weiss, "New York politicians use motor vehicle traffic laws
as a multi-faceted way to tax New York drivers which, of course, creates
further incentive for motorists to fight their tickets." Weiss adds that,
because the high cost of gas is reducing vehicle traffic on major NY highways,
"the police have fewer targets to ticket and therefore need to squeeze more
money out of each victim. Courts have no discretion to waive or reduce the
surcharge and often the surcharge exceeds the actual fine amount for the
traffic ticket."